Can’t fly with the Hawks — Avs slowed at home in 2-1 loss

The Chicago Blackhawks came into Pepsi Center and took it to the Avalanche again on Tuesday evening at Pepsi Center. Even though the score was 2-1, the Blackhawks completely outplayed the Avalanche.

Chicago got out to an early 2-0 lead in the first period after goals by Richard Panik (3rd) at 2:07 and Artemi Panarin (18th) at 7:16. The way this game started looked awfully similar to the last time these two teams got together back on January 10th — but the Avs actually bounced back and played a tight hockey game the rest of the way.

The second period saw both teams go scoreless, but the main story going into the third period was that Chicago out-shot Colorado, 29-8 through the first two periods of this game. They would need to turn things around in the final period.

Colorado would get some of those shots back early in the third, piling on eight shots on goal in the first three minutes of play. However, despite 16 shots in the third period in total, the Avs were never able to get the game tied up.

Calvin Pickard was solid in net after allowing the Hawks two goals early, as he kept the Avs in it all night with 40 saves.

THREE STARS

Calvin Pickard — 40 saves

Artemi Panarin — game-winning goal, 3 shots

Gabriel Landeskog — 1 goal, 4 shots

PLAY OF THE GAME

Of the three goals scored in this game, this one by Landeskog was by far the prettiest.

TURNING POINT

This series of saves by Corey Crawford at the beginning of the third period really seemed to shell shock the Avalanche the rest of the way. Crawford wasn’t tested too often this game, but he was in the Avs’ heads after this moment.

BY THE NUMBERS

QUOTE OF THE GAME

“We had eight shots through two periods, so we didn’t even test [Corey Crawford].”

Another loss that for the moment doesn’t hurt the Avs in the standings, as Nashville and Minnesota both lost on this night as well — staying behind Colorado in the standings. The Avs stand at 27-23-3 on the season with 57 points, good enough for the top wild card spot in the Western Conference at the moment.

WHAT’S NEXT

The Avalanche next host the Dallas Stars at Pepsi Center on Thursday night, February 4th at 7:00pm MT.

Covers DU Hockey, Colorado Avalanche and Colorado Rapids for BSNDenver. Nick can be followed @nickbracken303 on Twitter. He enjoys watching any live sports on TV and playing hockey and golf in his free-time. Chris Drury is his all-time favorite athlete.